Do you know this Man ???????

[Mark Story]

Hi Ralph,

That's what I thought at first too, however when I checked it out, I
determined otherwise.

Here's a quote from page 102-103:

"The second method is called "bend and kink."  With this method the tuner
tries to avoid turning the tuning pin.  Instead, he sets the string in
motion as outlined previously, and by lifting on the pin, attempts to bring
the string up through the pressure points.  He then slightly lowers the
overall tension by bearing outward on the handle of the tuning lever so as
to lower the pin into the bottom of the tuning pin hole.  By avoiding tuning
pin wrenching, tuners prolong the life of the pin block, and, if successful
in lifting the string, should establish a rather firm tuning."

While this is presented as one of three methods of tuning that the author
has observed, he in no way repudiates it, but in fact he says his own method
(the one he is recommending) is "based on the salient tension equalizing and
pin torque reducing practices which are found in the three discussed."  I
wonder if "Dr." Stevens has offered to extract the number of broken tuning
pins that have resulted from enthusiastic application of this technique.

Bill,

I'm sorry (an a bit puzzled why) you are taking this criticism personally
and portraying others as "taking so much pleasure in condemning" it.  As
RPTs, novice technicians have a right to look to us for reliable
recommendations and we shouldn't be shy about exposing bad information.
This is a bad book, and I can't see anything useful in it that can't be
learned from books by Travis, Riblett and White for that matter - all
without having to wade through potentially harmful stuff.  Unless you want
to learn how to tune with a StroboConn or tune old electronic organs, I
guess.

I'm surprised you compared this book to White's.  One of the amazing things
about that book has always been how well it's basic principles have held up
over time.  If you want to compare, read the information on tuning technique
on page 101 - quite a difference.

Mark Story, RPT
Eastern Washington University
mstory@ewu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: ralph m martin <rmartin30@juno.com>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Monday, October 27, 1997 6:41 PM
Subject: Re: Do you know this Man ???????


Hi Mark

Actually, quite a few techs were advocating "bending the pin" back in the
60's. They didn't  mean to actually BEND the pin literally. I quote from
a portion of John Travis' book "Let's Tune Up": after stressing Not to
actually bend the pin, John said, "Now, practice lifting the pin slightly
off the pin bushing from the botton and at the same time, turn the pin
forward until you are thoroughly accustomed to the give or feel as the
pin moves in the pin block."

This when the hammer is about the one  o'clock position in a vertical
piano. I take this to mean pressing away from you slightly so that the
pin moves very slightly upward off the pin bushing. I further discussed
this with John during a phone conversation.
While I do not necessarily endorse this practice and do not use the
tuning hammer in this fashion, I mention it because it may be the
technique that  Stevens was attempting to explain. Could this be it?

for what it's worth

Ralph Martin MPT